Cricket's hour of shame

SAD DAY for cricket. Most of the reactions to Hansie Cronje's confession to having accepted money from a bookie bordered on these lines. Sad, yes, but one would say more importantly it was the most significant day in cricket.

A day when the authorities came face to face with the reality of dubious men having a nexus with the players.

Why should there be sympathy for a sportsman who brings disrepute to the game by accepting money to influence the result of the match or by taking performance enhancing drugs to cheat those who compete honestly.

By admitting to having accepted money from a bookie, Cronje has certainly not distinguished himself. Nor have those cocky South African officials who always thought they were the last word on the game and its conduct.

For Dr. Ali Bacher to say that it was impossible to bug cell phones was ridiculous. Equally ridiculous was the claim by one of the South African scribes that it was an April fool joke.

And some of those callers to the radio stations doubting the credentials of the Delhi Police. They all ought to tender apologies now that Cronje has made them look fools in the eyes of the cricketing world.

The English and South Africans have reacted typically. Bob Woolmer, ever the arrogant cricketer who rarely excelled beyond the County circuit, has not been able to hide his sympathy for a cricketer who cheated his team and country.

Bob Willis wants us to believe that if anyone in the cricket world was asked to point out the most honest cricketer everyone would pick Cronje. Why not Sachin Tendulkar. I would pick Tendulkar ahead of anyone.

The fallout of this scandal is difficult to imagine at this stage. One is not sure of what is in store and how many more skeletons wait to be unearthed.

The cricket world is still struggling to recover from the blow dealt by Cronje, who was for long projected as the ideal ambassador of the game. He has the most tainted image today.

One has heard of these betting syndicates on the cricket circuit for very long. People met `bookies' but did not know their names.

Players' involvement was discussed but not reported for lack of evidence. Cricket was made to look a big den of intrigue when it was not always so.

To say that the Australia-South Africa semifinal at the last World Cup was fixed would be an insult to all those glorious happenings on the field that day.

It would be unfair to suspect every act on the field. For every single dishonest cricketer there are five others who give their sweat and blood on the field. It would be ridiculous to doubt a dropped catch or a run out of three years ago.

Matches were fixed we were told much ahead of the schedule, particularly those involving the Pakistanis.

The Sri Lankans were not far behind and all sorts of weird stories were circulated every time the team lost.

We had heard of phone calls from India to gather pitch and weather reports and of course the toss on the opening day.

The receptionist at the team hotel in Harare was amused at this particular caller from India who would make enquiries about the weather and the state of the match.

``A great cricket fan from India'' she described this caller. Little did she realise how the information must have been misused at the caller's destination.

There are some shots not mentioned in the coaching books. The `bookie shot' for example where the batsman would loft the ball and unerringly find the fielder. Or a very convenient run out which would alter the course of the match.

It was difficult to believe then. But not now. The game would undergo a change now that such possibilities have been established. It will not be possible to ignore such happenings if a pattern could be seen behind such wicked approach by the mercenaries of today's cricket.

Why are cricket authorities not ready to accept the fact that the game has been dealt a severe blow and it would take some time for the credibility to be restored.

The International Cricket Council is yet to react strongly despite the disgusting exposure of the South Africans.

Betting was common at the Lord's more than 100 years ago. Today, it is rampant, threatening the game's structure and popularity.

The nefarious side of the game, with the connivance of active players as established in the case of Cronje, has shown cricket to be an easy target, what with bookies and punters dictating terms more than the administrators and the lovers of the game.

For a sportsman, not just cricketer, to accept bribe to suppress his performance can be the most wicked thing to happen. You play with the passion and emotions of a nation.

Let the cricketers remember they can afford to lose matches, but not the support and wishes of their countrymen.

The ICC has a task at hand. To cleanse the game of all shady characters on and off the field. How they go about it is the business of the cricket administrators.

For the time being, the ICC has to stop all plans to globalise. It would rather stabilise cricket in nine countries than globalise the game of bat and ball in jungles and beaches around the world.

A sportsman who brings disrepute to the game by accepting money to influence the result should not be sympathised with, writes

VIJAY LOKAPALLY.

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